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While strategies to evaluate the influence of engaging patient partners in research are beginning to emerge, a systematic set of measures for assessing the impact of patient engagement in research (PER) on study approaches and outcomes is lacking. Existing measures skew more toward measuring the process of engagement and less toward measuring downstream outcomes of patient-partner engagement in all phases of research.

"The Medical Neighborhood: What is beginning to work, and what isn't" traces the last 25 years of the MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation's work in primary care quality improvement, and leaves us with recommendations for moving forward. This was MacColl Center Director (Emeritus) Ed Wagner;s last seminar before his retirement in June 2017. (June 29, 2017 Seattle WA.)

We have a new resource for health care organizations working to reduce low-value care. Our Taking Action on Overuse Framework and Change Package offer a roadmap to reduce the unnecessary diagnostic tests, treatments, and hospitalizations that can drive up costs and sometimes result in patient harm. The Framework identifies evidence-based strategies for obtaining buy-in, motivating behavior changes, and providing the necessary support and infrastructure for health care providers to engage and lead their peers in making the changes that improve the value of health care.

The opioid crisis touches all sectors of America’s patient population — especially underserved patients like agricultural workers in rural areas. In Washington and Idaho, six rural health clinics representing over 20 sites are working to ensure their policies, workflow, and clinical visits are aligned and implemented to address the crisis that has swept the nation.

Little attention has been paid to quality improvement (QI) capacity within smaller primary care practices which comprise nearly half of all primary care settings. Strategies for external support to build such capacity include practice facilitation (PF), shared learning opportunities, and educational outreach. Although PF has proven effectiveness, little is known about the comparative effectiveness of combining these strategies.